LOGINXavier’s POVMy father always told me about how ill-mannered Southern wolves were, and a few brief hours with the Doctor had confirmed that.I used to think it was merely old bias and deep-rooted rivalry that made the WestMoon elders despise Southerners, but now I had witnessed their lack of manners firsthand.“What do you think of the Doctor?” The metal base of the barstool clinks sharply against the floor as my Head Beta settles onto it, gesturing impatiently to the bartender for a drink.I take a slow sip of my beer, the heavy bitterness lingering on my tongue. “Nothing much,” I answer tautly, my eyes screening the rowdy barroom for the umpteenth time to see if I can locate Kael, the doctor’s son. Steve lets out a loud laugh. “I’ve known you since you were a baby, Xavier. Trust me, I know your exact taste in women.”I lift the cold glass to my lips again, swallowing down more bitterness as I try my best to keep myself from venting about how incredibly rude and uncouth Dr. Winter t
Dr. Winter’s POVDo you know that feeling where it seems like you're moving, but the ground is shifting under your feet? That's how I feel right now as I flounder across the dance hall, searching for Kael.The party is buzzing with life, and no one seems to pay attention to the lady who's losing her mind, asking every drunk attendee she crosses. They probably think I’m drunk.“Have you seen my son?”“Sorry to interrupt, have you seen a little…”“Did you happen to see…”No one had seen Kael. Tears are rushing down my face, and I feel like hitting myself for being so careless with my son.Worst mom of the year.Am I sure Mom and Dad were not right about me when they said I was good for nothing? If I can't keep my only child safe, then maybe I’m truly a failure.Good-for-nothing Raina.I shake my head as the mere thought of that name sends chills down my spine. Raina is dead. I'm Dr. Winter now, and unlike Raina, I refuse to fail. I have to find my son!Geron meets me in the middle of th
Xavier’s POVI’ve had awkward encounters in the past, but nothing beats this. I can't stop staring at Dr. Winter. My mind is trying to solve an inconceivable puzzle of how this lady can be so similar to my ex-wife and yet still so different. The party is coming to an end, and most people are either asleep or retiring to their homes. Dr. Winter hasn't attempted to dance all night. She has remained rooted to her chair, legs crossed, with those pointy red bottoms shooting out. I wonder how many glasses of champagne she’s had, because every time I looked at her, she had a glass to her lips. “I don't like her,” Jayda says as she settles into the chair beside me. I sigh as I chug down another glass of raw whiskey. “Well, thank God I didn't invite her here to be your friend.” Jayda’s eyes widen as I stand up to leave. “Where are you going?” “To the doctor.” I straighten my shirt as I look at the doctor’s table for the millionth time tonight. She’s talking to a guard while her little bo
XAVIER's POV(Six Years Later)"We lost the baby."I close my eyes and take a deep breath. A weight drops on my heart, threatening to rip every fibre of muscles in my chest."Again?" Father exclaims, shooting up to his feet and rushing towards the doctor. He grabs the doctor by the collar and pushes him to the wall. "Or are you just incompetent?"The doctor stammers out of fear. "It's not my fault. My team and I did our best to save the Alpha's child.""But—""Father let go of him." I cut in, rising up from my chair as well. A heavy feeling overwhelms me as I leave the doctors office for the sixth time in six years with the same result every single time.I walk out of the doctor's office and I head straight across to the ward opposite.Jayda lays weak on the hospital bed, her parents right by her side.I should console her but I hate the response I'd hear from both Jayda and her parents. They always find a way to place the blame on someone who no one has seen for more than half a deca
RAINA’s POVI don’t know how long I ran. Hours? Days? A week, maybe?There is no way for me to account for time, as all I see around me are green leaves, moss on rocks, and the peeling bark of old trees.At first, I had heard whistles and dog barks, probably from the pack’s search party. It didn’t last long, though. I assume Xavier must have ordered them to stop the search after a few days.Now I’m lost in the woods. I can’t go back, even if I want to, but I don’t regret running. I’d rather die out here in the cold woods than return to watch Xavier wed my sister.As I chew on the remnants of sour wild berries I had plucked earlier, I hear a roar nearby.Birds scatter away in groups, abandoning the canopy of tree branches above. My bones stiffen from the sudden disruption of the forest’s peaceful ambience, and I reach for the nearest rock I can get hold of.“Who’s there?” I bark, looking around me to notice the slightest movement.My first guess is a wild animal, as I have seen a coupl
Raina’s POV“No,” I say after a dragged silence. My voice sounds sharper and more composed than how I feel. I am crashing inside, my temperature running higher than a volcano. “No, I refuse to sign this.”I refold the letter, tuck it back into the envelope, and toss it the same way it came.Xavier’s nose flares, but he says nothing. He picks up the envelope and tucks it into his pocket.His brows lower slightly, and creased lines form along his forehead. His gray eyes are now the same shade as the night sky, flashing and reflecting the lightning that stretches past.“Raina, just sign it,” Mother whispers beside me, her voice a bit shaky. “It will make this process easier for you.”“Yes, for all of us,” Dad adds from the sidelines.“I promise to pay you handsomely for taking care of my son for these three years,” Xavier’s father says, already pulling out a cheque book.Watching him write down the amount, with a satisfied smile etched on his face as his wife looks on approvingly, my sto
RAINA’S POV“Where is my husband?” My voice cracks as I rush toward the bolted door of Alpha Xavier’s chambers.I was writing my final doctorate exam when news reached me that my husband was back from his two-month trip on short notice. In other words, exam postponed. In my three years of marrying







